The fine iron ship Hannibal, 1191 tons, classed
at Lloyd's AA with star, Capt Brown, arrived on June 9 from London, after a very
successful voyage of 92 days from port to port, and 81 days from land to land. On Tuesday,
June 8, she was sighted from the Pilot station, and on the following morning the Charles
Edward, with the Health Officer (Dr Squires), the Immigration Officer (Mr Elliott), the
Provincial Secretary (Mr O'Conor), and the representative of this journal on board,
proceeded down the Bay, and towed her to the anchorage. Captain Brown reports leaving
Gravesend on the 9th March, and was towed to the Downs; passed through the Downs on the
13th, and discharged her pilot off the Lizard on the 16th. This was the last land sighted,
and in nineteen days from that date she crossed the Equator in 29 degs. W longitude. She
experienced good NE trades, but instead of falling in with the SE trades had but light
variable winds, which lasted to the meridian of the Cape, which she passed on the 49th day
after leaving the Lizard, in the latitude 39 degs S. She ran her easting between the
degrees of 40 and 48, with strong winds; rounded Tasmania on the 30th May, and made Cape
Farewell on the 5th June, but adverse winds prevented her making the anchorage till the
above day.

The Surgeon (Dr Russell) seems to have had his hands full, no less than five cases of
scarlatina and ten of gastric fever, besides many cases of minor ailments, having occurred
during the voyage, but, happily, the issue of so much dangerous sickness was much more
favourable than is the case on most immigrant ships; but one death occurred from disease,
a child named Fanny Hoult, having died on the 7th March from scarlatina. The first case
of scarlatina broke out at Gravesend on the 13th March, and the last case was convalescent
on the 17th May; the last case of gastric fever was convalescent on the 10th May. There
was, however, one other death, that of a passenger names James Brewer, who was washed
overboard and drowned on the 9th May. There were four births. We believe Dr Russell had
charge of an emigrant ship which arrived at Wellington last year when the local
papers spoke extremely well of the manner in which this gentleman had conducted his
charge, and in the present instance he has been equally successful.

Of the captain and officers, the passengers all speak well, and a testimonial is in the
course of preparation to those gentlemen, and we may add that the captain and officers
likewise speak well of the emigrants.

The ship will not come inside the harbor, as nearly the whole of the cargo is for
Wellington, whither she will sail in a few days.

Our sincere
thanks to Allan Dodson for providing the following transcriptions

ARRIVAL OF THE HANNIBALNelson Evening Mail June 9th 1875

The ship Hannibal, 1198 tons, captain Brown, 88
days out from London, was signalled this morning, when the steamer Charles Edward was at
once dispatched to meet her, with the Immigration and Health Officers, and the
Provincial Secretary on board, and towed her down to the outer anchorage, where she now
lies. She has had a very favourable passage, which would have been faster but that she was
becalmed for ten days after crossing the
Equator. On Saturday last she was at the entrance to Cook's Strait, when she encounter the
furious gale that was experienced in Nelson and has since been becalmed. There were ten
cases of gastric fever, and five of scarlatina,
from the latter of which one child died. On the 9th of May, on eof the crew was found
missing, and it supposed that he was washed overboard. The last case of scarlatina
commenced on the 13th March and the termination of the disease on the 17th of May. Four
births occurred during the voyage. The number of passengers is 201, and of the crew 45.
The immigrants for Nelson will be landed to-morrow morning and those for the West Coast
will be
dispatched by the Murray at noon. A few more will be sent to Westport by the Wallace
Monday. Those destined for Marlborough will be forwarded by the Lyttelton on Saturday. As
the ship has a very small quantity of cargo for this place, she will not enter the harbor,
but will proceed to Wellington in a day or two. Mr Russell, who was surgeon to the
immigrant ship La Hogue on her voyage to Wellington last year, and was complimented by the
authorities for the skill and care he had displayed, is the surgeon in charge.

ARRIVAL OF THE HANNIBALNelson Evening Mail June 10th 1875

The landing of the Hannibal's immigrants
commenced this morning, the steamer Lady Barkly, which had been engaged for the purpose,
leaving the wharf on her first trip at 10 o'clock. On arriving alongside the ship, it was
found that the luggage had all been got ready for transhipment, while the deck was crowded
with the passengers, all of them eager to set foot on land once more. In about an hour's
time the steamer had taken in as much cargo as she could conveniently stow away, and then
the living freight commenced to stream on board, until it was difficult to obtain standing
room, and then the gangway was removed, and the Barkly steamed away, hearty cheers being
given by those on board both vessels, while not a few were almost regretful at leaving the
" good old Hannibal." Which had safely and swiftly conveyed them to their new
home. It was gratifying to find a general expression of satisfaction with the treatment
experienced on board, while all, and especially the females, were loud in their praise of
Dr Russell, of whose kindness and attention they spoke in the highest terms. It was
amusing to listen to the exclamations of surprise at the narrow entrance to the harbor,
and of admiration of the scenery, the always pretty villas that adorn the port hills
looking almost prettier than ever in the bright sunshine. " Isn't that a beautiful
house?" " Oh, isn't this lovely?" " Don't the green grass and bushes
look nice after not seeing them for so long?" and numerous other exclamations of a
like nature were to be heard on all sides, while other fragmentary scraps of conversation
were still more amusing. " Well, I declare, if that isn't a cow!" " Why,
there is a horse and cab just like England." And then as the wharf was approached,
" Look, there's a lot of
people," and " oh my! What a lot of children." On moving alongside there
were some happy scenes, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters almost wild with
excitement at meeting once again, but in the midst of all this joy
there was one exclamation struck on our ears with an almost saddening effect. It came from
one of the young women, as she was a witness to one of these meetings: - " Oh, don't
I wish I had a mother here to meet me." All
the passengers having disembarked, the steamer started off again for another batch. The
Murray left at one o'clock, and picked up the immigrants for the Westland, from the ship
on her way.

To the Editor of the Evening Mail:
Sir - Having seen a paragraph in the Nelson Daily Times, stating that complaints had been
made by immigrants per Hannibal as to the dangerous character of the work offered
by me on the Haven-road, I beg to state that
the two men employed on Saturday last, named Foote and Reece, were employed filling carts
and distributing the stuff at the tip which is anything but dangerous. I think the editor
of the Times would do well to make himself
acquainted with the facts before circulating reports that have no foundation whatever. As
to the experienced miner who refused work, I have not the least idea who he is. By
inserting the above you will oblige.